Auto theft rate drops to lowest level since 1960

A recent report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has found that car owners are statistically less likely to become victims of auto theft today than at any other time since 1960.

The auto theft rate per 100,000 people, which steadily rose from 180 in 1960 to a peak of 659 in 1991, has decreased almost every year since. In 2013 the rate per 100,000 people dropped to 221, according to the report.


Improvements in law enforcement efforts are a big reason for the decline due to enhanced collaboration and coordination between theft investigation agencies.

Technological features such as automatic alarms, remote door mechanisms and other anti-theft devices are also major reasons for the lowered theft rate, according to NICB.


"It's a really encouraging sign for drivers that the vehicle theft rate has decreased the past few decades after topping out in the early 1990s," said Ryan West, GEICO's vice president of claims. "That said, auto theft will continue to be a threat that vehicle owners will have to protect themselves against in the future. There are thieves out there keeping up with technological advances and finding other ways to steal cars."


NICB cited key theft, rental vehicle theft, fraudulent financing and VIN switching as new methods of auto theft that are on the rise.


GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the second-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 13 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 22 million vehicles (auto & cycle).

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